Ray County, Missouri · Richmond
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Ray County averages 35 nights a year at 20°F or colder, mostly November to February, and 31% of its homes predate 1960.
Heavy rain days of an inch or more come about 8.7 times a year here, most often in August. A sump pump that hasn't run since last season is a common weak point.
Sewage backups in Ray County spike on heavy-rain days, about 8.7 a year, when sewer mains fill up and water finds the lowest drain.
Roof leaks here come from summer downpours and, with about 83 freeze-thaw days a year, from winter ice dams. Most show up as ceiling stains in the room below.
32% of occupied homes in Ray County heat mainly with wood or propane, above the Missouri county median of 24.5%.
About 60 nights a year here stay at 65°F or warmer, so basements and crawl spaces can grow mold even without a leak.
Local risk profile
About 23,145 people live in Ray County, 569 square miles in northwest Missouri, in roughly 9,931 homes. Besides Richmond, the county seat, the biggest communities are Wood Heights, Orrick and Hardin. Half the homes here were built before 1974, half after.
54/100 Water Damage Risk Index: Elevated Ray County ranks 44 of 114 Missouri counties. See the statewide ranking and method.The three factors where Ray County ranks highest compared with other Missouri counties.
Ray County gets more hard-freeze nights than most of Missouri. It averaged 105 freezing nights a year over 2015–2024, 35 of them at 20°F or colder, cold enough for pipes in outside walls and crawl spaces to freeze. Among 114 Missouri counties that's 29th.
On February 16, 2021 the low fell to about -13°F, and in the stretch ending January 2018 the county went 14 days in a row below freezing. Leaks from split pipes typically appear the day the thaw arrives.
The freeze season here runs November to February, with January the coldest. If you travel then, leave the thermostat at 55°F or above and open sink cabinets on outside walls.
Freezing nights typically start around Oct 25 and end around Apr 12.
Ray gets fewer downpours than most Missouri counties, but they still fill basements. About 8.7 days a year bring an inch or more (87th of 114), most often in August, out of 37.7 inches of total precipitation. On June 25, 2021, 4.78 inches fell in a single day. The worst three-day stretch dropped 6.2 inches, ending June 27, 2021, the kind of soaking that overwhelms sump pumps and storm sewers.
The temperature crosses 32°F in both directions on roughly 83 days a year. Each cycle melts and refreezes water at roof edges and in foundation cracks, which is how ice dams and basement seepage get started.
Housing
59% of homes in Ray County predate 1980, above the Missouri county median of 53%, which ranks 38th of Missouri's 114 counties.
Before 1960 is when 31% of these homes went up. Galvanized supply lines and cast iron drains were standard then, and after 60-plus years both corrode and crack, often out of sight inside a wall or under a slab.
24% date from 1980 to 1999, the window when polybutylene, a gray flexible plastic supply pipe, was used in some homes. It's prone to leaks at the fittings, so it's worth checking for in a house from those years.
Beyond water
About 60 nights a year in Ray County stay at 65°F or warmer, a sign of muggy summer air (67th of 114 counties). May is the wettest month. Mold grows when indoor humidity stays above about 60%, the EPA's ceiling. A basement dehumidifier set to 50% and drying anything wet within 24 to 48 hours prevents most problems.
Mold remediation: what to expectBy main heating fuel, Ray County homes break down as 36% utility gas, 31% electric, 29% propane and 3% wood. Propane heat is more common here than in most Missouri counties. Heating equipment is one of the leading causes of home fires nationally, and the NFPA recommends having chimneys and vents inspected every year.
Fire and smoke cleanup: first stepsCoverage
Calls connect to restoration companies that work across Ray County. The largest communities by population:
Population from ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Townships and unincorporated areas are covered too.
Nearby
Caldwell and Clinton get more pipe-freeze nights than Ray. Carroll County has the oldest housing nearby, with 77% of homes built before 1980.
By the numbers
| Factor | Ray | Missouri median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1960 | 31% | 25% | 39 of 114 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 59% | 53% | 38 of 114 |
| Homes built 2000 or later | 17% | 21% | 89 of 114 |
| Manufactured or mobile homes | 4.4% | 9.8% | 102 of 114 |
| Vacant homes | 8.2% | 15% | 98 of 114 |
| Wood or propane heat | 32% | 25% | 40 of 114 |
| Nights at 20°F or colder | 35/yr | 28/yr | 29 of 114 |
| Days with 1 inch+ of rain | 8.7/yr | 10/yr | 87 of 114 |
| Freeze-thaw days | 83/yr | 77/yr | 28 of 114 |
| Muggy nights (65°F+) | 60/yr | 65/yr | 67 of 114 |
Rank 1 is the highest value. Bars run from the lowest to the highest Missouri county; the tick marks the median; orange means higher water damage risk than the median, green means lower.
Questions
Peak risk months in Ray County: freezing from November to February, heavy rain in June, July and August.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024); weather from NOAA nClimGrid-Daily county averages (EpiNOAA), 2015–2024, averaged across the county; county boundaries from Census TIGER. Reviewed 2026-10-21. Methodology